Good morning!
Welcome to the first Purple Heart Recognition Day Program.
It's always customary for those of us in the Veterans Commission to acknowledge our elected
officials first, those folks who are down here and have taken of their time to commemorate
this event with us.
I know the Mayor is here, the City Administrator's here, I know that David Seitzer is here from the City
Council, our bugle call man Michael Flandermeyer, and I know there are a couple of other guys
around here, Tom Besselman is here.
Anybody else, I don't want to miss anybody.
Okay, Chief Firefighter.
Okay, they're here, they're not elected though, elected officials.
Anyway, we're glad to have you here.
It's a wonderful day for us because this is the first time that your Veterans Commission,
in 3 years, has been able to have an event outside without inclement weather, without
having to move up the hill or without having to go inside, so thank God we have it for
this wonderful day.
Let us start off with the invocation.
The invocation will be given by Larry Brown, Chaplain of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post
2866, who is a Purple Heart recipient, as well as having 2 distinguished flying crosses.
Thank you, Tom.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, today we honor all soldiers who have been injured during combat service
to our country.
Our City has been designated as a Purple Heart City in recognition of their sacrifice.
We ask your blessing on all Purple Heart recipients, and especially for the families of those
who made the ultimate sacrifice.
In memory of those soldiers, we will now have a few moments of silence to reflect on the
significance of their ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
In your Holy Name, Amen.
Thank you.
Please remain standing for the presentation of the colors, the raising of the United States
and the Purple Heart flags.
Detail-Atten-Hut!
Present Arms!
♪Bugle playing♪
The Pledge of Allegiance will be given by Don Newman.
Don.
Comrades, please join me and sisters.
I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for
which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Order, Arms!
Please be seated.
We're very honored this morning to have our Mayor with us to commemorate this event, and
this is a first-time affair.
Please give a warm welcome to the Mayor of the City of Saint Charles, Dan Borgmeyer.
*applause*
I'm gonna put my glasses on if nobody minds.
I've got some prepared notes, I was not supposed to be here this morning.
Mr. Dobrosky was going to stand in for me.
He actually wore his purple shirt, which I was impressed.
I don't even have a purple shirt, so I don't know how many of you guys have a purple shirt,
so I was impressed.
They did prepare a few notes that I'd like to speak to this morning, but I want to talk
to you about something else; about the Purple Heart.
I was a Combat Veteran, and I think when you're a Combat Veteran, you don't realize what a
Combat Veteran is while you are one.
You're just over there and all of a sudden, what happens happens where you are,
and you're involved in it.
And some of it has to do with bravery, some of it has to do with spirit, and some of it
has to do with training, and some of it has to do with just trying to stay alive for another day.
And I knew a lot of guys who got these things, and they didn't get them intentionally.
They didn't go out there and try to get a Purple Heart.
They went out there.
I've often said this, the reason 19-year-old guys fight wars is because when they say "charge
that hill" when you're 19, you go "yeah!" and you charge the hill.
When you're 40 years old, and they say "charge the hill," you say "Let's talk about this
hill, what it means, what the significance of it is."
So a lot of it is just youthful exuberance, and most of it is dedication.
I was a volunteer in Vietnam, and most of the guys in my unit were.
And we fought the good fight, we got to see some action, which I guess when you're old
and you want to tell the stories, it's a good thing to have than just being on KP Duty for
that many years.
But the significance of those guys that took the hits.
And there's no glory in a Purple Heart, it is painful.
It is horribly painful.
It depends on where you get shot, and how many times you get shot, and what impact it
has on your future life.
So, a Purple Heart is of special significance to me, and should be of special significance
to everybody in our country.
I hope we come to a stronger realization as a country of what those who serve us do for us.
And with that, Larry said "don't read the part that says Dan Borgmeyer," so I won't.
Hello, and welcome to the Purple Heart Recognition Day Program here at City Hall.
Thank you for taking the time to be here.
Thank you Tom Kuypers, who's been very involved in this and made this all a part of what it is.
It is an honor to recognize those who have earned the prestigious Purple Heart.
The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the U.S. who are wounded
by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy, or to the next of kin in the name of
those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action.
It is specifically a combat declaration.
We are thrilled that the City of Saint Charles is now recognized as a Purple Heart City.
We have signs throughout the City, letting everyone know that this designation, as well
as 5 designated parking spaces at City facilities, are for Purple Heart recipients.
And the Purple Heart flag being raised today is just another wonderful symbol of this designation
to honor those who have served our country.
Thank you to all the military who are here today and to those who could not be with us.
I'd like to leave you with a final reminder that the Purple Heart is about a ceremony,
it's about flags and it's about parking spaces, but it's about kids who got shot.
God bless everyone.
Thank you Tom.
*applause*
Art Minor is a Veteran of the Korean War, the so-called forgotten war, and he has a
few words concerning the Purple Heart, so Art.
The history of the Purple Heart Medal's origin can be traced to the Revolutionary War.
It was originally known as the Badge of Military Merit.
The medal was established by General George Washington on August 7th, 1782 in Newburgh,
New York, and was awarded to 3 Revolutionary War Soldiers.
The award consisted of a simple white ribbon with a heart-shaped violet cloth emblem.
Today, the Purple Heart Award consists of a purple ribbon with 2 white stripes on the
edges, a heart-shaped purple medal with gold trim around the edge, and a profile image
of George Washington in gold on the front.
There has been approximately 1,900,000 Purple Heart Medals awarded.
And as of the last count, it is our oldest military award still given.
Thank you Art.
And now, we'd like to recognize those who hold the Purple Heart, who have received the
Purple Heart for wounds received in combat action.
Will those who have received the Purple Heart, please rise.
*applause*
As they say, thank you for your service, for sure, and thank you for attending
today, and it's an honor to recognize you folks.
That pretty well sums up the program.
I do want to thank our Media Department, also our elected representatives, and this turned
out to be a beautiful day, and we also want to thank the Public Works Department for the
assistance in setting this up, and also to the Mayor's office for making sure that the
invites got out and the people were coming and we appreciate that.
So, thank you very much and have a good day.
*applause*